Customs ruined my Borla exhaust
 

I spoke to Australian customs today about importing a Borla exhaust from the States to see if it would attract any duty or GST. Here is how the system works:


If the value of the goods you are bringing in to Australia are worth more than $250 if sent by air/sea courier (Fedex etc) or $1000 if sent by post, you are liable to pay duty and GST. Unfortunately, the Borla exhaust is too big to be sent by post, so here is what you would be up for to import a Borla exhaust:

15% duty on the value of the import.

A $50 admin fee charged by customs.

10% GST on the grand total of the value of your import + the $50 fee + the cost of the courier.


Here is an example if I lost anyone:

Borla exhaust $ 815 (US$595 - the asking price)
+ $ 122 (15% duty)
+ $ 50 (admin fee)
+ $ 343 (US$250 for Fedex shipping)
= $1330
x 1.10 (10%GST)
= $1463

All of a sudden, an $800 exhaust got mighty expensive. :mad:

Needless to say, I've given up on going this way now and will have to look locally for something similar.

For all future importers of RX-8 bits, be aware that if the item you are after is too big to be sent in the mail, you will be liable for a lot more taxes than you may have anticipated. I'm thinking body kits etc may be a killer here. Smaller parts like Canzoomers ECU mod or intakes etc should be okay, provided they fit in the post and don't exceed A$1000 value.

Bummer dude.

Get a custom one made up for that ring around im not sure of anyone who has done a rx8.
Make sure you get stainless.

D.G.W.

Customs have certainly ,put an end to overseas shopping for larger items , protecting the local industries , for a change , you will findsome good aftermarket exhaust here in australia , but as the rx8 is such a small volume seller even if all rx8 owners for example bought a hymee grill the profit to hymee would be negligeble .(hymee dont give up your day job)

Ask Borla if they can cut it into three sections and send them independently. Mark each package as being worth less than A$250. :)

Agree!!

You could get them to say it is a prototype of scrap metal value ...

Or what about a rare didgeridoo of cultural significance capable of making deep resonating sounds which envokes the spiritual god of power

:)

This seems like an appropriate time to make an announcement of sorts.

No - I won't be giving up my day job. I wish I could shake off my RX8 forum addiction though, and concentrate on my day job some more :) I just have a burning desire to help out.

An unconfirmed forum member (I'll let him reveale his identity if/when he chooses) may well have the first "Hymee Exhaust" by Christmas. It will involve some R&D as well as some Dyno'ing to give quantifiable results.

Aiming to provide 2 components - a set of Headers and a Catback. Also aiming to make it more affordable than the imported catback option (for the full system).

Anyway, I'll keep y'all posted. Let me know who is interested!

Cheers,
Hymee.

Christmas is an ideal time to slip stuff past customs. You should have seen the size of the 'gift' I got in the mail from Japan last week. IT certainly beat paying over $1000 to Mazda Oz.

-pete

Always intrested in keeping things local...

What's the format planned? Headers, really? :) Higher flow cats would be a must.

...anyway - very interested.

HYMEE

THIS MAY BE OFF INTEREST BEFORE YOU START YOUR EXHAUSTIVE EXHAUST IMPROVEMENT JOURNEY.

We have tested a Renesis 6-port engine on the dyno with MANY different exhaust configurations. We have run several different types of headers, with cats/without cats, and at least 10 different prototype mufflers in an attempt to uncover the potential for performance improvement in the exhaust system. We have read with amusement of some of the rather wild numbers being thrown around with regards to some of the HP claims being made about some of the exhaust systems currently on the market.

The “open” exhaust tests were conducted with a larger RB connecting pipe behind the stock exhaust manifold and cat section. The muffler section was simply removed from this connecting pipe. (Running the stock connecting pipe during testing was impractical due to the “slip-joint” that Mazda incorporated into this tube. The RB pipe was fitted with a flange that could be bolted up to each aftermarket system and our prototypes.)

The best results were found without any cats, but even running two presilencers and a muffler, the exhaust note was extremely loud! This might work for the hardcore guys, but the average person would soon become tired of this racket.

We will post an in-dept article on our findings in the near future. I am working with Jim Mederer as we organize and format the data that has been collected.

Jim Langer
Racing Beat

Certainly rules out bringing in a Mazdaspeed body kit package... that thing was looking $5-6k US already without shipping! Would be 10 grand to land the kit here.

KEV

As i have often said its "best to learn to shave on someone elses face ".

Before we go and speculate what type of exaust is best suited to the rx8 , maybe reading whats happening in other parts of the forum could be very interesting ?

michael

Agreed.

Interestingly, the racing beat exhaust was one that got my attention the most from the reading I've done...

http://www.racingbeat.com/FRmazda4.htm

...I really like the look of it!

KEV

Nice to see we agree on a few things (if not the colour ) of our rides , if you are really nice maybe i can organize for the boys at customs to be on a long lunch brake when and if we decide to get the racing beat exhaust or maybe hymee can clone one for us .

Michael

I too am a regular reader of other parts of the forum and have been following products like the Borla and Racing Beat projects with much interest. For now however, this kick in the teeth from customs has destroyed my dreams of getting something from overseas - at least for the moment.

Hymee and I will keep you all posted on our local project.... ;)

Yeh, it sucks doesn't it. At least you know now rather than having your dreams crushed at the eleventh hour when you decide "I'd better give customs a quick call just to check..."

If you are serious about a MS body kit, it's probably worthwhile calling customs yourself, just for a second opinion. I'd hate for you to take my word for it and later find out I somehow got fed BS.

I wouldn't to copy someone elses! A Hymee original.

I have just been in meetings with the Exhaust designer, and we are looking at a 2 muffler design.

Then I get home, jump on the forum, and see the raciung beat one is 2 mufflers!. The racing beat one looks quite nice though.

Stay "tuned"
Hymee.

Might just do that... now I wonder if I can get Hymee to make a grill kit that fits the MS front rather than the stocker :D

Spoke with the ROTORMASTER owner yesterday (Joe Signorelli) in Sydney. He has his Rx-8 test car & is developing an exhaust system for it. First on the cards is a set of extractors.

Will keep the forum posted as developments come along.

Keeping it local means keeping the costs down.

The more development of aftermarkrt parts for the rx8 here in australia ,is a great thing natural selection of the best products will win out at the end .
The Australian market is but a drop in the ocean compared to U,S, however that does not mean we cant produce an equal or often better product we are known as having some of the best rx owners and fastest cars.in the rotary world.

michael

More customs woes....

My previous info at the top of this thread is not quite correct. I rang customs again today thinking I would be able to bring in my Rotary Extreme short arm intake without paying any taxes. WRONG!

A customs import entry must be lodged for goods above the following values:

Postal: $1000 per consignment
Non-postal: $250 per consignment.

However, below these values, you may still have to pay duty & GST.

Duty is typically 15% for car bits. If the total duty and GST on your import amounts to less than $50, customs will waive it. If it's more than $50, you pay.

What that means is that if the total value of your item + postage is more than A$200, you will have to pay 15% duty and then 10%GST on the cost of the item, plus the postage, plus the duty.

And oh yes - once your item arrives in Aust, customs will hold on to it and send you a letter telling you that you can pick up your package from the post office.... just as soon as you fork the cash over.

Get to work Aussie aftermarket scene! This importing stuff blows....

Well I made a "Hymee" Intake tube for my Commodore ;)

It was actually a MAF - Throttle Body pipe. In the LS1's the stock items cause a measured intake restriction of a few kPa.

Cheers,
Hymee.

True... so there is none good one in Australia... I only buy Jap stuff as it is worth more for the money with all the research they do. I can't trust any American stuff if going to cost that much. Yes if I were in the US I will suck in to it. As it is relatively cheap. If ship it to Australia, I want the best stuff - hence the RE Amemiya exhaust and ask them to mark down the price in the invoice. Even better I get my friend to ship it to me as a gift - hey it should work.

Pepe ship it from Japan - Japan mail is MUCH cheaper - well the distance is shorter.

Ship it in pieces - ask them to write everything in Japanese. HeHe. I ask them to send my rear fog light - no charge in tax. I think I can get away with side shirt and wing but the MS front spoiler will be taxed